All of us know how hot it is in the Sahara, however, there are still hundreds of animal species inhabiting and thriving there. The species is known for its large ears, which provide both excellent hearing and a means of reducing body heat. Sadly they have been hunted to the point where there are only around 500 left. Desert animal adaptations include: large ears for dissipating body heat; a light-colored coat to reflect heat; hairy paws for walking on hot sand; the ability either to store water or to survive on very little water; being nocturnal; and living in a burrow. The species is now found in only 6 of the 18 countries where it once existed. Dung beetles can roll dung until it makes a ball shape and then push it home, or simply dig a new burrow next to a heap of dung to live in. They have various colors, depending on the location in the Sahara Desert. Firstly, it gets the gazelle out of immediate danger. It is a resident bird of dry savanna regions of Africa bordering the Sahara Desert. It's located across northern Africa, and temperatures can reach up to 134 . Animals in the Sahara Desert include gazelle, deer, hyenas, ostriches, owls, crocodiles, lizards and cobras. They are able to subsist almost entirely on animal waste. How Is Climate Change Impacting The Water Cycle? Free shipping for many products! This is known as stotting. It serves several purposes. The desert monitor feeds primarily on rodents, fish, and eggs but it might also feed on birds, small mammals, and other creatures if the opportunity arises. Sahara, (from Arabic ar, desert) largest desert in the world. They are herbivores and they mainly feed on the Pancratium plants. In the Sahara Desert, producers include grasses, shrubs, cacti and . In fact, it could be said that there is no finer example of the richness of evolution than a desert ecology. The Sahara Desert! Camel spiders are arachnids in the order Solifugae. 3. If the gazelle is forced to run, it can achieve an astounding 49 miles per hour. In fact, this is not only the largest desert in Africa but the largest warm-weather desert on Earth, about equal in size to the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska. It inhabits deserts and other dry habitats, such as scrublands and grasslands. Once common and widely spread in the arid regions (areas with little to no rain) of the Sahara desert, the dama gazelle now lives only about 1% of its historical range, and found primarily in Chad and Sudan. One of the least studied species of fox, the pale foxs habitat stretches from Senegal to Sudan. 1. "They are widely considered as prey by many carnivorous reptiles in the Sahara Desert.". It uses its powerful sting to hunt tarantula spiders. What is your favorite desert species? You can find out more about sand cats on this page: You can find out more about the thorny devil here: You can find out more about the wild Bactrian camel here. Like this acacia tree. A number of other factors affect climatic variability within the Sahara as well: topography does so, as do ocean currents, the latter of which are responsible for the slightly cooler and more humid conditions found on the deserts western margins. Its body and limbs are covered in rows of spines. The crest-tailed mulgara has a crest-like ridge of longer hairs on its tail. A reintroduction program that began in the 1990s saw captive animals being released back into the wild. Death Stalker Scorpion. These medium-sized, ground-dwelling birds are seed-eaters. The biggest threat to the species is illegal hunting. The dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas), a small gazelle species, inhabits the Sahara Desert and surrounding grasslands. It looks and behaves very much like a true mole, but as a marsupial is only very distantly related to the animals from which it gets its name. Photo: Yathin sk [CC BY-SA 3.0]The lappet-faced vulture is a large bird of prey found in Africa and the Middle East. (Mesquite is a small tree that grows in deserts and other dry habitats.). Keep on reading my other blogs to find out about endangered animals as well as extinct animals in the Sahara . There are fewer than 400 individuals left in the wild, making it a critically endangered species. The diet of this herbivorous mammal includes cacti and mesquite leaves. They usually live in a community composed of 10 individuals led by males. Today there are around 850 Arabian oryxes living in the wild. However, the West African crocodile (Crocodylus suchus) inhabits some parts of the desert habitat where it remains in a state of aestivation during periods of drought, hidden away in the safety of caves and burrows. The Kangaroo Rat is a herbivore. A 2020 study, whose results were published in 2021, found the species to be Critically Endangered. The deathstalker is one desert animal you probably dont want to encounter. Also known as the Asiatic wild ass, the onager is a hoofed mammal in the horse family Equidae. Even in difficult conditions, life can prevail, which is really quite inspiring. The unique sideways movement of the sidewinder helps it to traverse the sands quickly and effectively. Copyright 2023 ActiveWild.com. The Sahara Desert hosts an incredible array of species that are well-adapted to survive in the extreme desert climate. Death Stalker Scorpion (Art/Flickr) This type of scorpion is translucent and yellow in appearance, and is among the most venomous animals of the Sahara desert, and the entire world. Some scientists estimate that the Sahara became arid about two to three million years ago, while others contend that it happened before this. They love animal dung so that they can get their food. There are two living species of camel, the Dromedary Camel and the Bactrian Camel. No wonder, they are used as one of the natural methods to control flies on cattle. They are among the most endangered animals on the planet, with long, elegant horns and flat feet. Plant life. The Sahara Desert is the third-largest desert on the planet after Antarctica and Arctic deserts. The Sahara desert is a hot place all year, but July and August are by far the hottest months. The Sahara Desert is home to the Marathon des Sables 150-mile footrace. At first look, golden jackal resembles a small wolf. They conserve energy by periodically entering torpor a state of reduced activity that resembles a mini-hibernation. The desert hosts the highly feared deathstalker scorpion, the extremely venomous sand viper, the elegant and fierce cheetah and other equally magnificent species. Including resident and migratory populations, the birdlife of the Sahara exceeds 300 species. The dromedary has many adaptations for living in the desert. Photo: en:User:Tnarg 12345 [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons, (cropped / resized by ActiveWild.com)The water-holding frog is a desert amphibian found in the dry central region of Australia. Amazingly, the jerboa doesnt have to drink waterquite a useful adaptation for a desert creature. Jack Rabbits can be hunted down in the Sahara Desert. This species can be sighted in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Its wingspan can reach 8.5 ft. (2.6 m). It looks like it hardly ever rains here. The Mojave Desert tortoise is present to the north and west of the Colorado River in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Many animals in the Sahara desert prey on gazelles, so the Dorcas gazelle has evolved to avoid them on impulse. The lizards grow up to 1-2 meters in length and have an average lifetime of about eight years in the wild. Behind its head is a decoy head; a fleshy growth with two large horns. These creatures have longer legs than other ants and produce heat shock proteins before exiting their burrows. The Sahara desert is very rich in fossils of extinct wildlife. In the southern Sahara, downwarping of the African Shield created large basins occupied by Cenozoic lakes and seas, such as the ancient Mega-Chad. Rock art is one of the best records of the life of past peoples who lived across the Sahara It often depicts extraordinary images of life, landscape and animals that show a time when the Sahara was much greener and wetter than it is now. Distribution, Habitat and Diet. It feeds mainly on smaller insects and mammals that it can find. These polar regions are known as cold deserts. Addax Antelopes. The Sahara Desert is the third largest desert and, with a hot and dry climate, fits our traditional view of the desert. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Photo: Haytem93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (cropped / resized by ActiveWild.com) The addax is a critically endangered species of antelope found in the Sahara Desert. Small, thickset, herbivorous mammals, the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) is found across sub-Saharan Africa. All camel spiders have four pairs of legs and a pair of additional, leg-like structures called predipalps, which are used for sensing and feeding. Test your knowledge of desert animals with this free printable question sheet! As one of the biggest and strongest vultures, the lappet-faced vulture will prevent other vultures from feeding on carrion it has found. At that time, people used the barter system, trading food and animals without the exchange of money.Today the Sahara Desert's population is around 4 million with the majority of the people living in Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Western Sahara, and Algeria. Golden hamsters are territorial, and do not tolerate other hamsters in their territories. This large, pale pink bird is found in shallow lakes, lagoons and estuaries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Why Is Biodiversity Critical To Life On Earth? The one animal that I have chosen to explain about is the monitor lizard. Wildlife in the Libyan Sahara desert, animals, insects and plants of the Libyan Sahara, fauna and flora of the African Sahara; singing and musical sand dunes; snakebite and scorpion sting kits, . As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, this site may earn from qualifying purchases. Various halophytes (salt-tolerant plants) are found in saline depressions. This cold blooded animal is commonly found in Africa and all over Asia. The average temperature in April ranges from 27C (80.6F) - 16 C (60.8 F). It is the smallest member of the dog family Canidae, with a maximum body length of around 16 in. ~ Medicinally, this herb is used for treating indigestion, respiratory infections, and spasms. Many animals have found ways to thrive in deserts, and so have many plants. Oil, natural gas, and coal reserves have been discovered all over northern Africa and particularly have been exploited by various countries, such as Egypt, Libya, and Algeria. Can plants and animals survive in the Sahara Desert? The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world. What is the modern economy of the Saharan Desert like? All Rights Reserved. Why? There are three camel species: the single-humped dromedary, and the two-humped Bactrian and Wild Bactrian. The tarantula hawk wasp is the state insect of New Mexico. The discovery of 7-million-year-old dune deposits throughout northern Chad in 2006, however, suggests that the . The critically endangered species of gazelle, the dama gazelle (Nanger dama) is today found only in Niger, Chad, and Mali though earlier it had a more widespread distribution. Both Bactrian camels have two humps, but those of the wild Bactrian are smaller. 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